Conveyer and chain therefor



Aug. 2o, 1929. L @MARBLE l 1,725,467

CONVEYER AND CHAIN THEREFOR Filed July 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N vtm/TOP:

Aug 20, 1929- L. c. MARBLE 1,725,467

CONVEYER AND CHAIN THEREFOR Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

LOUIS C. MARBLE, OF CLEVLAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO ALVEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

CONVEYER AND CHAIN THEREFOR.

Application led July 28,

My invention relates to conveyers of the type commonly called drag chain conveyers, that is, the type wherein the articles are carried along by a moving chain or belt. Heretofore, chains or belts of conveyers of this type have been arranged to move in a single plane, either vertical or horizontal and they were impracticable for use where conditions required the pathway to be deflected from such plane; as, for instance, where it was necessary to clear a column or other obstacle, or make a turn at the end of a room.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a conveyer of the drag chain type with its chain or chains adapted to follow a path that does not lie in a single plane. It consists principally 'in arranging the trackway with curved portions that are provided with trackways for the sides of the chain, in connection with the drag chain whose links are connected for pivotal movement about axes at right angles to each other. It-also consists in the drag chain hereinafter described and also consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of a way showing three turns there- 1n Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the driving end of the conveyer, e

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of a-drag chain conforming to my invention,

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of the chain on the lines 4-4 and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3,

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sectional views of the way on planes 7 7 and 8 8, respectively, of Fig. 1 with the drag chain shown i in position,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the strap members of the chain,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one kind of link,

Fig. 11 is a. perspective view of one of the split bushings, Fig. 12 is a. perspective view of the other kind of link; and

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illus- 192s. serial Nc.`295,94a.

trating the conveyer with a single drag chain.

The framework of the conveyer illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises side frames 1 connected by cross members 2, the parts being preferably angle bars riveted t0- gether. The top members 3 of the side frames 1 are angle bars arranged with one flange disposed horizontally and extending inwardly and with the other iiange disposed vertically and extending upwardly. Mounted on the upper and lower cross members of the frame, respectively, and extending parallel with the sides thereof, are guideways for the endless drag chain or chains, the upper reach of a chain being in substantially the same vertical plane as the guide member of the same chain. Where the path is straight, theguideway is preferably a channel 1 with its flanges extending upwardly and sufficiently far apart to receive the chain between them. At the curved portions of the path, the guideways are preferably made of angle irons 5 with the upstanding flange on the convex side of the guideway and preferably provided with a wear plate 6 on its lnner face in position for the dragl chain to bear against. Preferably the upstanding iiange and the wear plate 6 thereof makes an angle of about 75 degrees with the horizontal member of the 'guideway In such case, the matter of pressure of the chain against the Wear plate 6 tends to bring the side of the chain into parallelism with the wear plate and thereafter prevent further lifting of the chain.

At one end of the conveyer the endless drag chains pass around idler sprockets 7 mounted on a horizontal shaft 8 disposed crosswise of the conveyer and supported -at its ends on the side frames 1 thereof. At

the other end of the conveyer, the drag chains pass around driving sprockets 9 fixed to a horizontal shaft 10 disposed transversely of the conveyer with its end journaled in bearings fixed to the side frames 1. The driving sprockets 9 are driven by means of an electric motor 11 mounted on a framework 12 provided therefor at said end of said conveyer. The motor shaft'is provided with a driving pulley 13 having a belt connection 14 with a pulley 15 fixed to a. horizontal countershaft 16, which is journaled in the side frames 1 of the conveyer roo and is provided with a pinion 17 which meshes with a large reducing gear 18 fixed to the sprocket shaft 10.

The chain illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises links of two kinds, A and B, alternating with each other. Link A comprises a sheet or plate of metal of inverted channel-shaped cross section and preferably having a convexly curved top 19 and rounded longitudinal corners after the manner of al roof top link. The ends of the convexly curved top 19 of the link A terminate short of the sides 21 thereof and are concavely curved, preferably in the form of a semicircular recess 20. The sides 21 of this link A have convex ends of substantially semi-circular form. The end portions of the sides thus constitute lugs or ears that are provided with perforations and in the perforations at each end of this link A is mounted a pivot pin or pintle 22, one end of which is riveted to one of the sides of said link.

Link B comprises a top plate 23 and a bottom plate 24 secured together midway of their length by a shouldered rivet 25 and securing between them shouldered pivot pins 26 and straps 27- for pivotal engagement with the pintles 22 of cooperating links A. The ends of the pivot pins 26 are shouldered, forming end portions of reduced diameter that fit within perforations provided therefor in the top and bottom plates of the link B and are provided with flat faces adapted to cooperate with similar faces in the perforations and thus prevent rotation of said pin therein. The ends of the top plate 24' o'f link B are convexly curved, preferably in the form of a semicircle adapted to be received, with reasonable clearance, in the semicircular recess 20 at the ends of the top of the link A. At about the center of the end curve the top plate 23 of the link B is provided with a perforation adapted to receive the shouldered end of the pintle or pivot pin 20 whose opposite shouldered end is adapted to be received by a similar perforation in the lower plate 24 of the link. The strap 27 is a strip of metal bent in the form of an open loop of proper size to fit over the pintle 22 of link A. The end portions of this strap have alined perforations 28 slightly larger than the middle portion of the pintle 26' which extends therethrough. A longitudinally split sleeve or bushing 29 surrounds the pintle 26 with its gap next to the pintle 22 of link A and with its ends in the pcrforations 28 in said strap. The perforations 2S in the strap 26 are provided with inwardly extending lugs 30 adapted to lit within the gaps in the split bushings 29 and thus prevent rotation thereof in said perforations. Washers 31 are mounted on the pintle 26 of link B between the straps 27 and the top and bottom plates 23 and 24, re-

spectively, of said link. By this arrangement, the pintles 22 of link A serve as pivots around which links B have pivotal movement; and the pintles 26 of link B serve as pivots around which links A have pivotal movement. Thus, assuming that the pintles 22 of link A are disposed horizontally and the pintles 26 of the links B are disposed vertically, the links are capable of free pivotal movement both horizontally and vertically.

It is noted that the teeth of the sprocket wheels lit within the channels of the links A of the chains. For this purpose, the sides of feasible to install a drag chain conveyer in locations where it has not been practical to do so under circumstances that heretofore precluded the use of a drag chain conveyer.

In operation. the drag chain is operatively engaged with the driving sprocket wheel 9 that is mounted on a horizontal axis. The

upper reach of the chain is mounted on the upper trackway with the convex tops 19 of the links A uppermost and with the lower reach of the chain arranged with such convex surfaces resting on the guideway for the upper reach of the chain maybe 'horizontal or disposed at one or more suitable inclinations; and likewise. the guidewav may be straight or curved one or more places. as the links are connected together for universal relative movement. In operation. the pressure of the sprocketwheel against the strap of the chain causes a movement of the chain longitudinally along its guideway. Where the guideways turn. the pull on the chain causes it to bear sidewise on the wear plate 6 on the concave side of the guideway. which might produce a tendency for .the chain to ride up over the top of the guideway. but which tendency is overcome by the angular position of the wear plate.J In operation, articles, such as milk cans. for instance. are laid on the chain or chains (one chain being shown in Fig. 12 and two chains being shown in Fig. 6), the principal weight resting on the chain or chains and the side guard members serving to steady such art-icles as they are drawn along by the chain.

What I claim is:

1. A chain comprising roof top links having horizontal pintles alternating with links having vertical pintles. and straps mounted on said last mentioned pintles. respectively, and looped around said first mentioned pintles, respectively.

llO

i plate links h `straps mounted on said therefor.

-ing horizontal cross-pintles alternating with vertical links having cross-pintles, and

vertical intles, respectlvely, and Llooped around said hoiizontal pintles, respective] 4.A chain comprising links of substan- .ti/ally inverted channel-shaped section hav-4 ing horizontal cross-pintles alternating with links having vertical cross-pintles, and straps mounted on said vertical pintles, respectively, and looped around said horizontal pintles, respectively, the links having the vertical pintles com rising spaced top and bottom plates riveted) together.

5. A chain comprisin 'links of substantially inverted channel-aped section`having horizontal crosspintles alternating with links having vertical cross-pintles, -and straps mounted on said vertical pintles, respectively, and loopedaround said horizontal pintles, respectively, the links having the vertical pintles comprising spaced top and bottom plates riveted together, the inverted channel-shaped links being provided at the ends of their4 top -walls with semicircular recesses and the top plates of the aving semicircular portions adapted -to be secured within said semicircular recesses.

6, A chain comprising'links of inverted channel-shaped Section with convex tops and having horizontal intles alternating with links having vertica pintles, straps mounted on said last mentioned pintles, respectively and looped around said first mention pintles, respectively, and bushings surrounding said vertical pintles with their ends nonrotatably secured in the supporting links 7. A chain comprising links of substantially inverted channel-shaped section alternating with links comprising vertically spaced horizontally disposed to and bottom plates secured together by shou dered rivets, horizontal cross-pins extending from side to side of the channel-shaped hnks adjacent to each end thereof,vertical cross-'pins ex'- .the adjacent side of the chain to lift s tending from top plate to bottom plate of the plate l1nks adjacent .to each end thereof, and straps mounted on said horizontal cross-,pins between the side walls of the channel-shaped links, and looped around the vertical crosspins of adjacent plate links.

` links of substan- 8. A chain comprlsing tially inverted channel-s aped section alter- 'nating with links comprising vertically spaced horizontally disposed to and bottom plates secured together by shouldered rivets, horizontal cross-pins' extending from side to side of the channel-shaped links adjacent to each end thereof, vertical cross-pins extending from top plate to bottom plate .of the plate links adjacent to each end thereof, straps mounted on said horizontal cross-pins between the side walls of the channelshaped links, and looped around the vertical cross-pins of ad'acent plate links, washers vertical pins between the surrounding sai strap and the top and bottom plates of the plate links, and bushings sleeved on said vertical crow-pins with their ends non-rotatably secured in said straps.

9. A draglink conveyer comprising an endless conveyer chain and guideways for slidably supporting the upper and lower reaches of said chain, ways being curved, said guideways being provided on the concave side ofthe curved portions thereof with upstandingi flanges having wear plates in position for the side of the chain to bear against and that are inclined toward the convex side to rmit ightly and to prevent excessive lifting in rounding the curve.

10. A drag link conveyer comprising an endless conveyer chain and guideways for slidably supporting the upper and lower reaches of said chain, portions of said 'deways being curved, said guideways eing provided on`the concave side of the curved portions thereof with upstanding anges that are inclined toward the convex side thereof, the straight portions of said ideways being of substantially channel-s aped cross-section and the curved portions thereof being made of angles arranged with one flange in position to support the chain and with the other flange extending upwardly-f,

portions of said guidei LOUIS C. MARBLE.- i 

